Pan lifter



A. ASPLUND Dec. 25, 1934.

PAN LIFTER Filed Oct. 28, 1933 lNVENTOR HS'PLUND Patented Dec. 25, 1934. 1,985,811

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAN LIFTER August Asplund, San Francisco, Calif.

Application October 28,1933,1Serial No. 695,691 1 Claim. (01. 294-29) This invention relates to improvements in pan with the teeth 9, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. A lifters, and has particular reference to a device forked member 17 is secured to the handle 5 and for lifting and transporting pans, dishes and the has bifurcated tines 18 and 19, which are upon like. 7 v a plane below the plane of the handle and parallel 5 A further object of the invention is to provide thereto. 5

an automatic meansfor gripping the dish or pan. The result of this construction is that when the Afurtherobject is to produce a device which is tines 18 and 19 are passed beneath a dish as simple to manipulate and one wherein'the hands shown in Fig. 1, and assuming that the finger 7 is will not be injured, should the pan or dish be hot. in. substantially a vertical position as indicated 10 A further objectis to produce a device which in fragmentary dottedlines of Fig. 1, then the 10 is simple in construction, economical to manuoperator presses the finger piece 14 against the facture, and one which may be easily cleaned. tension ofthe spring 16, which draws the latch 11 Other objects and advantages will be apparent out of engagement with the teeth 9 and allows during the course of the following description. the finger 7 to drop through gravity until the 15 f In the accompanying drawing forming a part notch 8 engages the end of the pan or dish. 15 of this specification and in which like numerals Therefore, it will be noted that the holding finger are employed to designatelike parts throughout will accommodate for various depths of pans. the same, I As soon as the finger comes into contact with the Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my device as the pan or dish the fingerpiece 14 is released and the same would appear in use, a pan being shown in latch moves forwardly against the face of the 20 dotted lines, ratchet teeth and at a point above the pivot 6.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, and This produces a tangential pressureztending to Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary-cross secrotate the finger and press the finger tightly in ional view showing the sliding latch arrangeengagement with the dish being engaged.

ment. It will thus be seen that I have devised an in- 25 In picking up dishes, particularly hot dishes, vention that will accomplish all the objects above which have no handle, it is generally necessary to set forth. V employ pan holders usually made, of fabric mate- It to be understood that the form of my rial, with the result that the heat rapidly dis- 1 invention herewith shown and described is to sipates from the dish or pan through the holder be taken as a preferred example of the same and 30 to the hands of the person picking the dish up. that various changes relative to the material, Applicant has therefore, devised a simple arrangesize, shape and arrangement of parts may be rement which will eliminate this difliculty. sorted to without departing from the spirit of the -In the accompanying drawing wherein for the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim. 5 purpose of illustration is shown a preferred'em Having thus described my invention, I claim:- bodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 desig- In a device of the character described, a handle,

nates a handle having pivoted to its front end, as a finger pivoted to said handle, ratchet teeth at 6, a finger 7, having a notch 8 formed thereon. formed on said finger and concentric with the Ratchet teeth 9 are formed upon the finger cirpivot thereof, a latch engaging said ratchet teeth,

0 cumferentially of the pivot 6 so asto be engaged spring means to force said latch against said 40 by the sliding latch 11. This latch is held in ratchet teeth at a point offset from said pivot and alignment by a guide 12 secured to the handle 5 in a direction to cause rotation of said finger, a and has its pivotal connection as at 13 with a pair of offset tines secured tosaid handle and pivoted finger piece 14. A spring 16 interposed underlying said finger whereby adish maybesup- 5 between the handle 5 and finger piece 14, norported on said tines and engaged by said finger.

' mally tends to hold the latch. 11 in engagement AUGUST ASPLUND, 

